Automatic inserter for assembling folded signatures



y 14, 1958 J. M. PALEVEDA 3,383,102

AUTOMATIC INSERTER FOR ASSEMBLING FOLDED SIGNATURES Filed Dec. 27, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES M. PALEVEDA M ATTORN 4% J. M. PALEVEDA 3,383,102

AUTOMATIC INSERTER FOR ASSEMBLING FOLDED SIGNATURES Filed Dec. 27, 1965 Sheet 2 INVENTOR JAMES M. PALEVEDA United States Patent 3,383,102 AUTOMATIC INSERTER FOR ASSEMBLING FOLDED SIGNATURES James M. Paleveda, 102 S. Tampa St., Tampa, Fla. 33602 Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,329 Claims. (Cl. 27055) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A signature gatherer comprising a pair of endless chains traveling below a series of stepped compartments. The chains carry a transverse signature pick-up rod having mounting and guiding structure to control the path of the rod.

This invention relates to an automatic inserter sometimes called collator for assembling folded signatures. These machines are used to assemble folded printed sheets to form newspapers, pamphlets and the like where one folded sheet is longer than the other.

An object is to produce a new and improved machine of this character which is easy to operate, inexpensive to build, and simple to maintain.

Another object is to produce a novel drive and guide arrangement for the pick-up rod so that the rod is advanced successively above inclined platforms to pick up individual folded sheets and after passing over one platform drops to a new position to pick up a succeeding sheet to nest with respect to the prior sheet or sheets.

A further object is to render the compartments for folded sheets adjustable to accommodate different size sheets as desired.

A still further object is to produce a simple device for receiving the edge portion of the longer sheet to allow the shorter sheet automatically to open as desired in order freely to receive the pick-up rod.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the machine for automatically inserting and assembling folded sheets or signatures, some parts being broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a portion of the machine sufficient to enable its construction and operation to be understood;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view r on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view somewhat diagrammatic to illustrate how the folded signatures are supported and how the pick-up rod is moved into engagement therewith.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a supporting frame, which includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending side panels and 11 and interposed therebetween and suitably connected thereto is a fioor panel 12. The frame may be mounted on support legs for elevating it from the floor but the same are not illustrated. Mounted on the floor panel 12 and spaced horizontally from each other is a series of platforms 13, and each platform inclines forwardly and upwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the pick-up rod as will hereinafter appear. At the rear end of each platform 13 is an integral vertical depending relatively short wall 14, which terminates in a rearwardly extending supporting ledge 15 secured to the floor 12 by suitable fasteners 16, such as bolt and nut assemblies. On the underside of each platform 13 adjacent its forward edge is a U-shaped bracket 17 suitably secured to the underside of the respec- 3,383,102 Patented May 14, 1968 "ice five platform. The cross piece of the bracket 17 is formed with a screw-threaded aperture to receive a vertically disposed adjusting screw 18 which has a round head at its lower end to seal upon the floor panel 12. By manipulating the screw 18 the position of the respective platform 13 may be adjusted and in particular the angularity of the respective platform may be varied.

Spaced above the platform 13 is a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending, parallel support rods 20, opposite ends of which may be supported in any suitable manner. Each rod is disposed generally in the region of and above one of the side panels 10 and 11, mounted on each of the support rods 20 for horizontal adjusting movement are support slides 21, a slide on one rod being opposite to one on the other rod and the number of pairs of slides being dependent upon the number of compartments or bins desired for holding stacks of folded sheets, as will hereinafter appear. Each slide 21 has a set screw 21a adapted to engage the respective support rod 20 for securing the slide in position of adjustment. Fixed to each pair of slides 21 (one on one support rod and one on the other) and depending therefrom is a plate 22, the lower edge of which is spaced from the floor panel 12. Also fixed to each pair of slides 21 and disposed in advance of the plate 22 is another plate 23, which, as shown, has its lower edge slightly below the lower edge of the plate 22. On the lower edge of each plate 23 is a forwardly extending integral lip 24, which extends entirely across the plate 23. Each plate 23 may be of somewhat flexible resilient material and may be adjusted to a slight degree by an adjusting screw 25 carried by the lower end of the plate 22 and engaging the rear face plate 23 in the region of the lip 24.

To form a bin or compartment to receive a stack of folded sheets or signatures, there is a vertical plate 26 which may be suitably attached at opposite sides to the side panels 10 and 11, such plate being disposed in rear of the next adjacent plate 22. Thus a stack of folded sheets may be supported by each of the platforms 13 between the respective plates 23 and 26. By shifting adjacent support slides 21 toward and away from each other the size of the bin or compartment may be increased or diminished.

Traveling along the floor panel 12 are the upper rims of endless chains 25 and 28, the chain 27 being disposed adjacent the side panel 11 and the chain 28 adjacent the side panel 10. These chains pass over sprocket wheels (not shown) at opposite ends of the machine and are driven from an electric motor through a suitable gear reduction. It will be understood that each of the chain runs on the floor panel 12 moves from right to left of the FIGURES 1 and 2. Adjacent each chain run and in the region of the upper face of the floor panel 12 is a stepped track or ledge 29, which extends from the rear end of each compartment to the forward end thereof approximately level and in the same plane as that of the respective platform 13. Before each of the stepped tracks 29 reach the respective vertical plate 26 and slightly in advance of the particular platform 13 there is a depending vertical wall portion 30, the lower end of which engages the next succeeding stepped track or ledge 29. Directly above the de pending wall 30 is a downwardly curved track portion 31, which commences slightly in rear of the vertical wall 30 and terminates at its lower end in vertically spaced relation to the next succeeding stepped track or ledge 29. It should be understood that the same track structure obtains both for each of the chain runs 27 and 28.

A series of transverse pick-up rods 32 are provided. At opposite ends of each pick-up rod is a roller 33, which rolls along the tracks 29 as the pick-up rods are advanced. Adjacent opposite ends of each pick-up rod 32 are pull arms 34 which incline forwardly and downwardly and are connected to the respective chain runs 27 and 28 by pins 35 which project laterally from the arms into engagement with the adjacent chain. Thus as the chains move forwardly they pull the pick-up arms 32 along the path determined by the tracks 29. When the rollers 33 encounter the vertical wall 39 the drop abruptly to the next succeeding track 29, the curved track portion 31 insuring the proper movement of the rollers from one track to the next succeeding track.

In operation it will be understood that a stack of signature sheets are placed in each of the compartments with the free edges facing rcarwardly. Each signature sheet consists of a sheet S folded in such manner that the top leaf is wider than the bottom or second sheet. This overlap of the leaf u of the lowermost sheet in the stack rests upon the upper surface of the lip 24, as indicated in FIG- URE 4. It will be seen that the lower leaf 1 may drop downwardly, causing the leaves it and l partially to separate or open. As a pick-up rod 33 advances it passes between the leaves u and 1 until it reaches the folded end and then upon engagement therewith causes the particular sheet or signature S to be moved forwardly, thereby removing it from the stack. Being draped with this sheet the pick-up rod 32 continues its travel to the next chamber where the same operation occurs. Because the pick-up rod 32 is freely articulated through the pull arms 34, the motion of this rod is in a horizontal plane when it drops at the end of the respective track 29 along the vertical wall 30 to the next succeeding track 29. Thus the drop of the pick-up rod actually moves in a direction transverse to the movement of the chain. Since the forward motion of the chain runs 27 and 28 can be varied, the motion of the pull arms 34 is slightly variable but approaches a perfectly vertical drop. This motion is important for satisfactory operation because of the static electrical build-up which takes place with certain types of paper.

It will be understood that where there are a series of compartments each having a stack of folded sheets or signatures S, for example the first chamber may have pages 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 of an eight page booklet, and each succeeding chamber contains the outer signatures, for example pages 1 and 2 and 7 and 8 in the second chamber. The pick-up rod 32 collects the individually folded signatures as it passes through the chambers and transports them to the final chamber where the covers for the booklet, for example, may be located.

It is important to note that the action of the pull arms 34 is positively controlled by the tracks over which the rollers 33 traverse and this action remains the same despite variations in chain tension.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is.

1. An automatic inserter for assembling folded signatures each of which has a top sheet and a shorter bottom 4 sheet with the top sheet having a free edge portion which extends beyond the free edge of the shorter bottom sheet comprising a plurality of compartments arranged one after the other in step fashion and each adapted to contain a stack of superimposed folded signatures with the fold ends facing forwardly, an upwardly and forwardly inclined platform in each compartment in which a stack of signatures rests, a vertical plate in each compartment rearward of the respective platform, a forwardly extending lip at the lower end of each plate adapted to receive the free edge portion of the top sheet of the lowermost signature of the stack, the bottom sheet of such signature falling by gravity, a pair of laterally spaced endless chains having a straight top run beneath the stepped compartments, a multiple level stepped track on each side of each compartment level and on the same plane as that of the respective platform, each track having a vertical depending wall approximately at the forward end of the respective platform, a series of transverse pick-up rods for the compartments respectively, arm means, said arm means being pivotally mounted to said chains and adapted to pivot upwardly as said pick-up rods are carried over said platforms and then to pivot downwardly as said rollers are guided down said vertically depending wall of said tracks whereby the top run of said chains remains in a substantially flat plane, rollers on the ends of said rods in engagement with said tracks, and a downwardly curved guide over each depending vertical wall to insure passage of said pick-up rod and rollers downwardly from the forward end of one track to the rearward end of the next track.

2. An automatic insert as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending parallel support rods arranged above said compartments, slides on said support rods respectively, vertically disposed plates suspended from opposite slides and each plate being provided with said forwardly extending lip.

3. An automatic inserter as claimed in claim 2, in which said slides are adjustable along said support rods, and means for securing each slide in position of adjustment.

4. An automatic inserter as claimed in claim 2, comprising means to effect minor adjustments of said vertical plates forwardly and rearwardly.

5. An automatic inserter as claimed in claim 1, comprising means for adjusting the inclination of each platform.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,774,580 9/1930 Wich 270- 1,766,117 6/1930 Ellsworth 27055 2,163,572 6/1939 Crosby 27057 X 2,384,506 9/1945 Thompson 53-157 2,883,185 4/1959 Nelson 270-55 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner. 

